Local people will gather in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, tomorrow for a march to support bringing the town’s historic commons into community ownership. The event, which starts at 12:30 PM on 28 February 2026, will see residents walk from Wellington Rocks to The Forum to show their support for a local bid to buy the land.
The Friends of the Commons, a local charity led by Joy Podbury, is organising the walk as a final push before a critical deadline next month. The group has until 26 March 2026 to submit a formal offer to buy the 256-acre site under rules that give residents the first chance to purchase local landmarks.
This effort began after the current owner, Targetfollow Group Ltd, announced its intention to sell the land. The property firm has suggested that a car park on the site could be turned into a residential development worth £60 million.
While the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has officially named the area an asset of community value, the council is not providing the money for the purchase. This means the community group must raise the necessary funds themselves to keep the green space under public control.
Other local organisations, including the Royal Tunbridge Wells Town Forum and the Tunbridge Wells Commons Conservators, are also involved in the project. If the community bid is not successful by the March deadline, the land could be sold on the open market to private developers.
